Phu Quoc temporarily suspends receiving foreigners

Mai Van Huynh, chairman of Phu Quoc District, said Duong Dong night market, a major Phu Quoc attraction, suspended operation while all bars, restaurants, karaoke parlors and massage services were shut to contain the spreading epidemic. Authorities further called on local inhabitants to stay calm.

Phu Quoc has arranged a 100-bed isolation area at an army barracks in Duong To Commune and is planning a 1,000-bed field hospital in Cua Can Commune, Huynh said, adding all foreign tourists were barred from visiting the island until further notice.

According to the island’s medical center, overseen by Kien Giang Province, 210 people had contact with the Latvian man, 33, confirmed the country’s 54th Covid-19 patient.

Doctor Le Cong Linh, director of Phu Quoc Health Center, said 166 passengers on flights from HCMC to Phu Quoc and vice versa had come in contact with the patient.

In addition, the Latvian tourist also communicated with 32 staff at a hotel where he and his wife stayed during their five-day holiday in Phu Quoc, having contacting with 12 airport employees and border gate officers.

“At present, local authorities have searched for and isolated over 70 people, currently in stable condition,” Linh said.

Authorities are continuing to look for the remaining contacts. The hotel where the patient stayed has been shut and disinfected.

A meeting aimed at celebrating the upcoming International Women’s Day (March 8) was held in Hanoi on March 4, with officials from foreign ministries and representatives from foreign embassies located in the country participating in the event.

Located in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Phung Hung street has become a popular destination for those looking to snap beautiful photos, in addition to a cultural space ideal for both city dwellers and visitors looking to view the numerous colourful lanterns ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.s

Only 3.7 million foreign tourists visited Vietnam in the first four months of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a year-on-year decline of 37.8 percent, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).